[Funnington]

My son is having a whole class party at a park. There are BBQ facilities but I would need to reserve one really early due to park popularity + time of year.

I've decided on a picnic where we can just throw down a few picnic rugs.

Can you share your picnic ideas suitable for a kids birthday party? It will be at lunch time - no dietary requirements or food allergies that I know of. I want to keep it health-ish. My idea was something for lunch with a few snacky type things and of course a couple of sweet treats to have after lunch.

I've browsed my own cookbooks and recipe sites but, I would love suggestions from people who have actually made this type of fare for children.

I could (maybe) re-heat before I leave but ideally it would be cold food. Transporting the food's not an issue, I have a wagon and the trip to the park is only about 5 - 8 minutes.

I've thought about platters, I've thought about giving each child their own cake box that includes lunch (hope that makes sense).

There are 18 children invited.

Thank you.

This post has been edited by Funnington: 06/12/2012, 06:48 PM

[dogged]

Funnington, I did the boxed party food approach for DS's birthday this year and it was so easy and a bit of a novelty, so I would really recommend doing it that way.

Ideas to include might be:

sandwiches - could be "special" e.g. ribbon sandwiches
mini quiche
juice carton
small packet of cheese and biscuits
small packet of chips or other savoury snack
carrot sticks and dip
muffin
bunch of grapes
a few lollies
honey joys
cupcakes baked in little square bottom icecream cones

The downside I did observe was lots of food swapping and some wastage.

[Funnington]

Thank you, I'm glad you knew what I meant! I actually didn't think of putting all their party food in a little box - fabulous idea, so easy to transport. I did think about wasteage and maybe the expectations of junk food so I'm prepared for that.

I did think of nice ribbon sandwiches - I also thought of little dinner rolls filled with nice things.

[dogged]

Actually the dinner rolls is a good suggestion because they are more stable i.e. won't fall apart as easily.

If you're not averse to giving children cocktail frankfurts, the small ones do fit nicely into the mini bake yourself dinner rolls from the supermarkets.

[Funnington]

If you're not averse to giving children cocktail frankfurts, the small ones do fit nicely into the mini bake yourself dinner rolls from the supermarkets.

Haha, never - I did think of that. I was copying the idea from Baker's Delight - the 'savoury bites' that are a whopping $2.70 each